Wednesday, January 4, 2012

The Gift that is January

It seems fitting that each year concludes with reveling. With time off from work and routine to celebrate family and blessings - and the One we have to thank for both.  

With Christmas, New Year's Eve, and both my children's birthdays in a two week period of time, I did plenty of celebrating. I also did quite a bit of indulging in the process.



I was staying up later than usual, followed by sleeping in later than usual. I kept the downstairs clean but let my office and bedroom get cluttered. My girlfriend Kati brought me a tin of cookies, and I ate as many as I wanted. Plus Chex Mix.

I did a pretty good job of exercising up until Christmas, but after that notsomuch - unless you count shopping as exercise, or playing drums with the band on New Year's Eve.

Letting things slide while I indulge a little is fun. It feels good, decadent and worth it. And I think at the time I could sooo live this way every day -  I'd never tire of it!

But then I do. And I begin craving structure, order, growth and discipline.

I start wanting the feeling of accomplishment more than the feeling of indulgence.



So it seems fitting that the end of the year with all it's revelry is followed by New Year's with all it's emphasis on renewal and self-improvement.

And that is the great gift of the cold, quiet month of January.

It's a time for reordering. For reestablishing. For recommitting. In the slow pace of winter.

"Indolence is a delightful but distressing state: we must be doing something to be happy."

~ William Hazlitt

There is purpose in the rhythms and seasons of life. There is a need to break routine and to reestablish it throughout the year. I very much go with the flow that way. How about you, are you ready for the purposeful push of January or are you still hanging on to the indulgent mindset of December?

8 comments:

  1. Oh I love that! "the purposeful push of January"!
    Gonna put that on my fridge today!

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  2. Hi Rachel,

    We were having some Awesomely warm days here in Maine last week,so much so that when I pulled the vacuum out to tidy up the parlor before a friend came over for a visit, I found myself doing a SPRING CLEAN! LOL. Joseph my husband kept reminding me that Spring is still a few months off but I think my "cleaning clock" got a bit confused! The deceiving weather was my purposeful push!Are we into Spring yet???? LOL.

    Blessings~~~
    XOXOX <3

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  3. GEARS -I'm honored that my words would make it on to your fridge to remind you. :)

    Stephanie - I go with the flow in that way. If a warm front makes me feel like spring cleaning in January, I do it. Course, I can use all the motivation I can get to clean!

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  4. Hi Rachel, I do like January for the reasons you stated, re-committing, reordering, re-establishing but I just love Christmas so much that I want it to be 4 months long. :( But January is a great month and I have set many goals for myself regarding my spiritual walk and I know that God has my back and this will be a great year for me.
    Julissa

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  5. I'm trying to be smarter in Jan.!!! So..."get more connected via electronics". I've almost finished your "secrets" book and in the dimness of my own internal lightbulb, I realized I could access your blog. You spoke to our women at our St. Simon's Island retreat in Oct. and much of not only what you said but who you are still resonates with me. Thank you for the idea of a YahWeh sisterhood. Thanks for being so real...a major blessing source!!

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  6. Sherry G - I'm so glad you found me online.:) And I'm glad you've been enjoying It's No Secret.

    Your kind comments about me truly warmed my heart on this chilly day. Thank you for telling me.

    2012 blessings ~ Rachel

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  7. The indulgences are over. The discipline is back, but with it comes the sadness I battle every year in January. My kids go back to their homes and my house looks sparse and cold with empty spots where all the Christmas decorations were...... and my heart gets heavy. It is my least favorite time of year. But it passes soon enough and then, "lo, the winter is passed, the rains have ceased, and the time for rejoicing has come".....

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